A Twenty Seven Year old Robert Johnson recorded 36 of the most
influential songs in The Idiom of The Blues. The year was 1936 and
Today nearly Seventy years later his Music and Mastery lives on, to
thrill and chill the hearts and minds of millions of followers of The
Blues. If you are not aware of his music and lyrics pay him a visit and
meet one of the Music Giants of the 20th Century.
Probably the most enigmatic Singer and Guitarist of the twentieth
Century is now one of the most revered and respected of all Musicians
who make up the Genre of the “Blues “. I speak of course about the
wonderful Robert Leroy Johnson. Born in 1911 in Hazelhurst Mississippi,
in a Deep South plantation, he, in his pitifully short life has become
one of the founding Fathers of the Blues.
He recorded only 36 sides over a period of a couple of months between
November 1936 and June 1937 in San Antonio Texas .These remarkable
recordings still bring tears to the eyes of Blues aficionados the world
over and shaped the face of the music of today.
The post-war Blues of Chicago owe a great debt to Robert Johnson and it
is sad to think what might have been had he lived! In just a few short
years he matured from a young black guitarist into a superstar of his
day .The often repeated legend was perpetuated by his contemporaries
that he sold his soul to the Devil in return for his amazing guitar
techniques.
His story is one of hardship tinged with great success in his own
locality of the Delta and women were said to be rendered helpless as he
sang his compositions. His death at the hand of a jealous husband at
the age of twenty seven robbed the world of one of Americas finest ever
Musicians and Blues artists.
Years after his death in 1938, a photograph was unearthed, one of only
two in existence. It shows not only his inimitable style of dress but
quite remarkable slender fingers which helped him to achieve his unique
mastery of the bottleneck guitar technique. He is pictured in a
chalk–stripe suit which would have been somewhat overstated for a man
in his position at that time .When I first saw that photograph the one
thing above all else, that stood out were his beautiful long fingers
that enveloped the guitar fingerboard and obviously caressed it as
though it was a Woman helpless in his arms!
What about his subject matter… well nothing much has changed in the
passing of time; the age old, painful process of unrequited love; of
restless yearnings to move on down the line to pastures new; to
unfaithful liaisons; and of course much sexual innuendo .
Robert Johnson’s skill as a poet of the time and place is absolutely
unsurpassed in my estimation! For sure he borrowed words, phrases, and
guitar licks from his peers, but moulded them into something quite
unique that not only stands the test of time but has a relevance to
today’s Rock music.
There cannot be any Blues Band on this Planet that has not been
influenced by Johnson and his music and this is a testament to the
greatness of the man! The list of recordings of Johnson’s songs by
modern artists is endless and forms the backbone of the resurgence of
the Blues in the early sixties in Britain and continues to this day!
Most of the long lasting Bands of the R,n,B revolution of 62, 63, and
on into the seventies have recorded several of Roberts songs. Notable
amongst these would be The Rolling Stones, John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers,
Cream, The Allman Brothers Band, Led Zeppelin, Eric Clapton, Elmore
James, and many more. Johnson’s songs transcribed particularly well to
the new Electric guitar line-ups of the fifties and on into the
sixties. Probably one of the most popular of his songs, which I can’t
imagine anyone not having heard in a modern format, is of course
Crossroad Blues.
This song was recorded live at the Fillmore in San Francisco in 1968 by
the great Eric Clapton and his two buddies, Jack Bruce on bass and
stickman, Ginger Baker .This song also featured in Cream’s farewell
concert at the Albert Hall in London in 1969. I doubt whether Johnson
envisaged this treatment of his song when he wrote it or that his
poetry would one day be the cornerstone of the Blues Revival of the
Sixties.
It is a poignant end to his story that the great impresario John
Hammond, who later went onto sign –up a young Bob Dylan in 1962, was
just too late when he searched for Robert to appear in the momentous
concert at Carnegie Hall in 1938. Robert Johnson was dead but his
spirit and his music will live on for ever in the hearts and minds of
the lovers of the music we call THE BLUES .
© Robin Piggott 2004 Key to the Highway Publications.
Robin Piggott is the owner of Astral School of Motoring which is based
in Limerick, Ireland. He has thirty five years of Driving Experience
and has driven Professionally for most of this time, including teaching
in – house, before setting up his own Driving School. He would much
rather have become a Guitar Slinger but that's another story!
The aim of the Astral Driving School is to provide the skills that will
enable Young Drivers and Visitors to stay safe, first and foremost, and
in doing this, help them achieve a standard that they can build on for
the future. Skills for Life is the mission and to this end a Blog has
been set up to aid and assist all new Drivers and those from overseas.
Visit the Web Site at www.astralmotoring.ie Visit the Astral Driving School Blog at astralmotoring.blogspot.com
